Friday, March 11, 2011

Govt seeking MTUC’s help to resolve local labour woes

BUTTERWORTH: The Federal Government is willing to rope in the MTUC to help the country overcome a critical shortage of local workers in several sectors.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said MTUC’s input and role was crucial in resolving the acute shortage of labour.

“The Government does not want to bring in foreign workers, but there is demand from several industries, especially in the construction, restaurant and plantation sectors. These areas are facing an acute shortage.”

He said employers in such sectors are claiming that they could not engage local workers yet at the same time, the Government does not want factories or plantations to close down as it can impact the economy.

“The Government does not want to bring in foreigners. We want local workers to fill the jobs. However, we have learnt that the local workers are simply not interested. It is now a matter of supply and demand,” he said.

The Government would be happy if MTUC is willing to help address the issue, he said.

Dr Subramaniam said this after making a site visit to the Sri Muniswarar Temple at Prai here yesterday.

Commenting on the MyDaftar campaign for Indians who faced problems over documents related to their birth certificates, Mykads and citizenship, he said that the National Registration Department (NRD) has resolved 160 cases to date since it was launched last month.

“NRD officers are sorting out the applications and we hope to resolve more cases soon.”

He said the campaign would go on for six more months.

Court blocks MTUC's bid to scrutinise water deals

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) and 13 water consumers have no legal right to access the audit report and water concession agreement involving the Federal Government, Selangor Government and Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas), ruled the Court of Appeal.

Justice Datin Paduka Zaleha Zahari, leading a three-man panel yesterday, in a 2-1 majority decision overruled the decision of a Kuala Lumpur High Court which had ordered the Federal Government to make those documents public.

Justice Zaleha and Justice Datuk Seri Abu Samah Nordin ruled in favour of the Federal Government, with Justice Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus dissenting.

Justice Zaleha said the 13 respondents were not adversely affected by the decision of then Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri (now Tun) Dr Lim Keng Yaik, to deny them access to the two documents.

She also ruled that MTUC failed to establish it had fundamental or legal right to the concession agreement and audit report.

“The High Court judge had accordingly erred in allowing the (MTUC and the 13 water consumers) application,” said Justice Zaleha.

She also ordered the respondents to pay RM5,000 in legal costs, after allowing their request that they pay nominal costs for proceedings at the Court of Appeal and the High Court because the issue before the court was of public interest.

In a dissenting judgment, Justice Mohd Hishamudin said the respondents had the locus standi since water was a basic necessity of life.

“Determination of rates must be transparent. Good governance requires transparency. Water users have the legitimate expectation to know the process involved in determining the increase in tariff,” he said.

MTUC and the 13 others, including its former chairman Syed Sharir Syed Mohamud, and two children, aged 10 and 15, obtained leave from the High Court on June 14, 2007 to commence a judicial review against the minister’s refusal to grant them access to the documents.

They said that as water consumers in Selangor, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur, they had the right to gain access to the audit report and the concession agreement signed Dec 15, 2004.

Ang Hean Leng, counsel representing the respondents, said they would bring the matter up to the Federal Court. — Bernama

CUEPACS KEMUKA 4 TUNTUTAN BARU

Utusan Malaysia
8/3/2011

SANDAKAN 8 Mac – Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (CUEPACS) akan mengemukakan empat tuntutan baru tahun ini dalam usaha penambahbaikan perkhidmatan penjawat awam.

Ia termasuklah membuat semakan semula gred penjawat awam dan pemberian elaun wilayah, menyambung kembali perkhidmatan pekerja kontrak di bawah Kementerian Pelajaran, selain mengkaji semula pemberian insentif kepada kakitangan kesihatan yang dalam status on call (siap siaga).

Presiden CUEPACS, Datuk Omar Osman berkata, kesemua tuntutan yang dikemukakan itu dilihat perlu diselaraskan semula dengan mengambil kira kos sara hidup yang semakin meningkat pada masa kini.

‘‘Penjawat awam memerlukan semakan gred baru. Selain itu, kita juga meminta kerajaan mengkaji semula elaun wilayah yang hampir 17 tahun tidak ada penambahbaikan.

‘‘Perkara ini perlu dikaji semula kerana kos hidup di semua tempat, termasuk di kawasan pedalaman Sabah dan Sarawak semakin meningkat. Jika ia masih di tahap lama, sudah pasti kos sara hidup dengan hasil pendapatan penjawat awam tidak seimbang,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan program ceramah anjuran Sabah Medical Service Union (SMSU) Cawangan Sandakan di Hospital Duchess of Kent di sini.

Hadir sama, Setiausaha CUEPACS Sabah, Lawrence Vun dan Presiden SMSU Sabah, Maiman Muntial.

Menurut Omar, CUEPACS akan meminta Kementerian Kesihatan mengkaji semula elaun ataupun insentif kepada penjawat awam yang dalam status bersiap-siaga.

Katanya, berdasarkan maklum balas oleh kelompok penjawat awam berkenaan, mereka tidak diberi elaun ataupun insentif sama ada dipanggil bekerja ataupun tidak ketika dalam tempoh on call.

‘‘Mana-mana penjawat awam yang kena stand by, sama ada dipanggil bekerja ataupun tidak, mereka perlu dibayar elaun ataupun setidak-tidaknya mendapat insentif,” jelasnya.